The emergence of mobile commerce (commonly known as “m-commerce”) on retail sales is impacting the manner in which business is currently conducted. The m-commerce initiative improves a shopping experience by employing technology such as hand-held computers and wireless data networks to enable direct interaction between retailers and customers as they shop. A customer can now access information to facilitate a purchase from most any location. Information will be substantially available for any one, anywhere, and at any time. Retailers can communicate with customers in a timely and relevant manner by promoting products in-aisle and at the point-of-decision. Such technology supports transactions and personalized promotions based on customer-specific characteristics-including past purchase history, current market basket composition or even location within the store. While a customer shops in a store, targeted marketing messages can be sent directly to the customer via his or her m-commerce device based upon contents of their shopping basket, their respective location in the store, or other triggers. Shopping totals are computed and savings are automatically calculated. Marketing possibilities are virtually limitless. Promotions can be delivered in the form of banners scrolling across mobile-device screens offering deals on competitive or affiliated products, static bitmaps, or “animated” bitmaps. Consumers could be reminded to purchase items based on current and/or past market-basket composition or their location in the store. New revenue streams and cooperative marketing models for retailers and their vendors will be generated for retailers who capitalize on the mobile commerce revolution.
However, the design of devices adapted for mobile commerce technology can still make use of the technology cumbersome or inconvenient. For example, in a shopping environment, the customer will eventually have to complete the purchase transaction by paying for the items selected. This typically involves going to a checkout station to have the contents of the mobile device downloaded or transferred via a wired or wireless communications network. The device is than inserted into a cradle or similar equipment to facilitate download of the customer purchase information.
What is needed is a scheme and/or mechanism for providing a more efficient and productive shopping experience when using an m-commerce device.